Liberal Democrats 'want to pull out of Coalition' to avoid poll wipe-out

Senior figures within the Liberal Democrats say the party may need to pull out
of the coalition well before the next general election to have any hope of
avoiding a wipe-out at the polls, it was reported.

Prime Minister David Cameron (R) and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg hold their first joint press conference in the Downing Street garden on May 12, 2010 in LondonPhoto: GETTY

7:10AM BST 08 May 2012

They believe the party needs to re-assert its independence from the Conservatives by withdrawing from the Government ahead of the vote in May 2015.

One told The Times: "We will have to disengage and we will have to decide whether it is a matter of weeks or months."

The report comes as David Cameron and Nick Clegg prepare to make a rare joint appearance to restate the case for the Coalition.

It also suggests that George Osborne blamed Mr Clegg for leaking Budget secrets during an angry confrontation.

The Chancellor was said to have been particularly displeased to have heard while on his way home from Heathrow after a trip to Washington that his plan to reduce the top rate of tax had been leaked.